Fifteen Youth Cong office-bearers won in three state polls

Fifteen out of 25 Youth Congress office-bearers, including chiefs of state units in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, won the seats they contested in the Assembly elections in the three states.

The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) leaders exultant over the results feel performance of the outfit will increase share of youths in its list of candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"We won most of the seats that were given to us. I have full faith the party leadership will pay attention to our performance and consider more Youth Congressmen in the Lok Sabha elections," IYC president Keshav Chandra Yadav said.

He said all the 25 Youth Congress members who contested the Assembly polls in the three states gave tough fight and while 15 managed to win, those who could not, lost by narrow margins.

The Youth Congress figures more prominently in the scheme of things after Rahul Gandhi became the Congress president, IYC vice-president Srinivas BV said.

"Earlier, less number of Youth Congress members got chance to contest elections. After Rahul Gandhi (taking over as Congress president) we are getting more seats to contest in Assembly and other elections," Srinivas said.

The president of Youth Congress in Madhya Pradesh Kunal Chaudhary won from Kalapipal constituency, while Rajasthan unit chief Ashok Chandna won from Hindoli. Umesh Patel, president of Chhattisgarh Youth Congress, won from Kharsia seat, IYC chief spokesperson Amrish Ranjan Pandey said.

"We have proved ourselves when given a chance. Now, if given a chance to contest the Lok Sabha elections, the Youth Congress will definitely prove itself once again," Pandey said.

The Congress is poised to form governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, signalling a newfound energy in the party ranks.

Belying predictions of exit polls, the Congress won convincingly in Chhattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan, and scraped through with a wafer-thin lead in Madhya Pradesh, final results showed after the vote count on Tuesday.